A Newborn Wind
by daughterofthesun
Summary: What do the Titans need when they find a baby? A whole lotta diapers. Now the Titans must care for and, oddly enough, protect the infant from Slade. But why does Slade want the child?
1. The Discovery of Winds

DiScLaImEr: I do not own any character in Teen Titans, nor do I own THE Teen Titans. I wish I did, though.... WHERE ARE THE NEW EPISODES, DARNIT?! The only character I do own is the child called "Windy." Confused? Read on...  
  
"That's it! Dr. Light, you're going down!" Robin, the boy wonder and leader of the Teen Titans, reached into one of his many pouches and drew out his miniaturized staff. He extended his staff while crouched in a martial arts position. His staff cracked as he brought it back. He raised one hand, flicked the fingers back to him, as if to say, "Come get me!"  
  
"Tell me," Dr. Light droned, "can robins fly fast?" He grabbed a diskette and threw it at Robin. The incendiary exploded and a brilliant flash of a pale green light surrounded Robin. He tried to shield his eyes, but the flash was too fast for him.  
  
"Ack! Can't see!" He wildly swung his staff to ward off any physical attack from Dr. Light. Dr. Light grabbed an orb from his pouch this time. He threw it at Robin, but a green starbolt destroyed it quickly.  
  
"Cease your attack on my friend, and return the human paper currency at once!" The high-pitched voice came from the alien of the team, Starfire. She held another starbolt in her hand, as if she meant to reaffirm his surrender.  
  
"You are only a cloud on my bright day of victory!" Dr. Light ran to her and threw yet another device, which landed underneath her. It crackled and whirred. Suddenly, the top opened and a strong field of light captured her. He cackled, but stopped when a Tyrannosaurus Rex appeared in front of him. It roared deafeningly then bared its teeth.  
  
"A lizard is no threat when it's blind as a platypus under water!" Another burst of light emanated from him. The Rex shrieked and morphed back into Beast Boy, the changeling. He had a dizzying gaze in his eyes.  
  
"I'm okay!" Beast Boy said before falling down. Dr. Light laughed.  
  
"Watch it, Lightweight, things are about to get heavy!" came a cry from the cybernetic man on the team, Cyborg. He swung a light post at Dr. Light, yet Dr. Light ducked. Cyborg swung again and again, pushing his opponent back. Dr. Light bumped into a brick wall of the bank and grinned. Cyborg swung the light post with more gusto than the past swings, but Dr. Light jumped out of the way. The post shattered and the brick wall crumbled. Cyborg stared in disbelief.  
  
"Awww, man. I thought I had him!" Cyborg complained. "I guess it's time to bring out the heavier artillery!" His right arm transformed into his energy cannon and aimed it at his foe.  
  
"Stand still, you jumpin'-" He stopped in mid-sentence and fired. The beam went straight through Dr. Light, who then flickered and dimmed. With a confused look on his face, Cyborg walked to where Dr. Light was standing. There was a broken contraption lying on its side. He picked it up.  
  
"Wait a minute. This looks like one of Gizmo's _**[1]**_ .... Oh, shoot!" Realizing where Dr. Light was hiding, he turned around, but it was too late.  
  
"Cyborg, behind you!" shouted the telekinetic goth, Raven. She was already restrained by one of Dr. Light's devices. Cyborg felt a shock as his back armor opened. In his vision, everything started to fade to black as he was shutting down. Smirking, Dr. Light picked up several bags of money and walked away. He approached his vehicle, humming, when he suddenly tripped. A piece of cord, weighted with spheres at each end, wrapped around his legs.  
  
"I don't think so." Robin said while standing regally, with his arms crossed and cape billowing in the wind. Dr. Light let out a little groan and was later taken to prison. After freeing Starfire and Raven, awakening Beast Boy, and restarting Cyborg, Robin and his team returned to their home, tired.  
  
"I wish to never experience that again," Starfire said, rubbing her temples.  
  
"You said it," Cyborg said, with Beast Boy nodding his head. Robin smiled. He was glad that they captured Dr. Light without too great a cost.  
  
"I'm heading up to my room," Robin announced. "You guys should get some rest. You deserve it."  
  
After readying themselves for slumber and bidding each other a pleasant night, they separated, heading to their own room.

* * *

Robin could barely sleep that night, tossing and turning in bed. He rolled over to see what time it was. The red-lighted numbers on the face of the clock showed that it was two-thirty in the morning. He let out a small groan. He hoped that it was late morning.  
  
_ I don't know what it is, but there's something off..._he thought to himself while he stared at the ceiling. He sighed and hopped out of bed. Maybe a little walk around the Tower will help. He opened his door as quietly as possible, but a loud whoosh! sound emanated from the door. He winced, uttering something. Tip-toeing down the stairs, he headed for the kitchen. Although tempted with the thought of enjoying a nice game of "Ninja Fury," he did not want to disturb the rest of his housemates.  
  
Upon entering the kitchen, he clapped twice. The sound of his clapping was muffled due to the gloved hands. The lights turned on, and the whirring of the refrigerator the only noise heard.  
  
"Argh!" He shut his eyes tightly, the sudden lighting blinding him. He opened them again and blinked a few times. He staggered over to the sink, filled with dirty dishes piled REALLY high, and grabbed a cup. After washing a cup out, he filled it with water and chugged it down.  
  
"Robin?" a voice said quite suddenly. Robin jumped, nearly dropping his glass, and dropkicking the intruder. He turned around.  
  
"Oh, Starfire! It's you! What are you doing up this early in the morning?"  
  
"I heard you creeping around, and I thought that you were a 'convicted fellow', I suppose you would say?"  
  
"A bad guy?"  
  
"Yes! Exactly! Are you all right? It is... not like you to be up this late," Starfire said, quite concerned.  
  
"I just couldn't sleep. It's nothing to worry about, Star."  
  
"If you would like me to, I could sing a Tamaranian lullaby. It always helped me to fall asleep." Starfire inhaled deeply, opened her mouth and-. Robin's hand clamped over her mouth. He heard it before, and.... Well, it kept the listeners awake rather than lulling them to sleep. 

"That's okay, Starfire, but thank you."  
  
They ambled over to the couch and sat down. Robin yawned.  
  
"Robin, do you hear that?"  
  
"Hear what?  
  
"It sounds like...a _blorg beetle_."  
  
"What?"  
  
"Here." She pointed to the front door. The walked over to the door and opened it with great caution. Looking straight ahead, Robin saw no one.  
  
"Look down, Robin."  
  
He did, and saw a bundle of sheets in a basket, with a loud wailing coming from underneath it. Starfire pulled back the sheets and saw...  
  
"_X'hal!_"  
  
"A baby?!"  
  
**_[1] In the original Teen Titans, Gizmo and Dr. Light were two of the "Fearsome Five" (the others were Mammoth, Psimon, and Shimmer). Together, they almost defeated the original Titans._**

I know, I know, I did use a few quotes from "Nevermore," and I apologize if someone did not like it, but...Please, please, PLEASE review! And go ahead.....flame me with your fiery rage if need be....Thanks!


	2. The Unnamed Infant

_**DIsCLaIMeR**: I still don't own any character or place in the Teen Titans, nor will I ever. Only the infant is my character, so far. This chapter is for my friends._

Starfire carried the baby inside and set it down on the sofa. It still cried, no matter what she did to appease it. Robin examined the infant closer. It looked as if it were newly born, for it had only fuzz for hair and no teeth. The hair was brown, with a bluish tint when placed under a light. The eyes were as gray as a cloudy morning, with some swirls of what appeared to be orange. Robin blinked in disbelief.  
  
_A blue-haired, gray-orange eyed baby? Something is definitely not right about this. Who could have dropped it off?_ Robin thought.  
  
"Starfire, keep the baby busy for a bit, I'll be back in a moment."  
  
"But Robin, I do not know how. This is the first time I have handled a human infant!"  
  
"Um, fly around, I guess." As Starfire flew around the dining area (and holding the shrieking child away from her ear), Robin rummaged through the basket. Whoever abandoned the child was well prepared, for within the basket was a bag of diapers, a bottle with packets of formula mixtures, blankets, and other necessities. Robin deducted that this drop-off was deliberate. The banging of the windows disrupted his thinking processes. He looked out the window, and saw, with the help of the city lights, storm clouds gathering.  
  
_ That's weird. It was supposed to be nice weather throughout the whole week. Wow, and the wind's really powerful this early in the morning!  
_  
"Star," he said, "this whole thing was deliberate. The baby came with supplies. We probably should let the police take care of it."  
  
"But this child is so adorable!" She flew to him with the infant in her arms. Once again, the newborn cried.  
  
"Dudes, will you keep it down? I'm trying to get my beauty sleep," Beast Boy said, coming down the stairs. Cyborg, followed by a slightly perturbed Raven, appeared behind Beast Boy. They were half-asleep until they saw the infant.  
  
"Whoa! When did that get there?!" Cyborg said, surprised.  
  
"Uh, dudes, did I miss something between you and Star?" he asked Robin. Starfire, holding the newborn, stood next to Robin, both looking like a married couple.  
  
"Uhhh.... It's not what it looks like..." Robin said with embarrassment, blushing. He explained everything in great detail, starting with his insomnia and ending with the discovery of the child.  
  
While the others were brimming with questions, Raven remained totally quiet. She was quite suspicious as to how the child arrived upon their front door, nor did she like the child herself. With arms crossed and leaning against the wall, she observed this peculiar scene. Starfire held the infant against her hip, rocking it back and forth while bouncing, trying to calm the unhappy infant. She leaned over to Robin and whispered something. His eyes widened and then stared at the baby. He whispered something back to Starfire. Raven raised an eyebrow.  
  
"Hey, Beast Boy, could you hold him for a bit?" Robin asked, passing the baby to him.  
  
"Sure, but..." Before Beast Boy could finish his sentence, he realized what just happened. The diaper bulged out, and a fulsome odor wafted throughout the room. All the Titans started gagging. "Ewww, groooooosssss!!! Get 'im away! Get 'im away!"  
  
"Man, that stench is worse than Plasmus!" Cyborg said, his one eye watering. Starfire pinched her nose, Raven covered her mouth and nose with her cloak, and Robin, with a large grin, placed a gas mask (yet another item in his handy pouch) on his face, which left Beast Boy with his hands, quite literally, full. Beast Boy ran to one of the kitchen sinks and placed the baby in it.  
  
"Someone needs to change him," Robin said with amusement.  
  
"It's not gonna be me, dude. I'm not touching him!" Beast Boy held up his hands in refusal.  
  
"Me neither," Cyborg agreed.  
  
"I do not know how to clean this small human child!" Starfire said with remorse.  
  
"Honestly, you guys, it's just a baby. I don't see what the problem is with changing him." Raven walked over to the sink, picked up the child, and placed him on the counter. She unfastened the diaper (by using her magic, of course), and the diaper floated toward the trash bin.  
  
"Heads up!" Raven warned. The rest of the Titans, except for Beast Boy, ducked. The diaper gained speed, and unfortunately, Beast Boy's head was in the way of the trash.  
  
"Ack! Get it off! AAAAAAHHHHH! It's so gross 'n warm 'n wet!" He flung the diaper into the trash and ran to the nearest bathroom, screaming. Robin and Cyborg laughed heartily, Raven tried to hide a smile, and Starfire looked deeply confused.  
  
"I do not see why this is so amusing. I find it rather disturbing." Starfire floated over Robin's shoulder, seeking many answers. Raven shook her head and continued to dress the infant, although much to her disliking. Using the items within the basket, Raven redressed the child, who was now fresh and clean.  
  
"See? It wasn't that hard," Raven said, and beckoned the rest of the team over. Cyborg and Robin ventured over, with Starfire still hovering over Robin. Meanwhile, Beast Boy was still in the bathroom, trying to cleanse his face.  
  
"Oh, and by the way, Robin, this baby isn't a he... It's a she." The eyed parts of Robin's mask widened and his jaw dropped along with Cyborg's.  
  
"A female? How wonderful! This is definitely a cause for celebration!" Starfire flew over to the refrigerator and opened it. A yellow sort of fungus resided in the refrigerator. "Perhaps this yellow food should be consumed? And the infant should have some of this oddity as well."  
  
"Uh, Star," Cyborg started.  
  
"I don't think it'll be good for her," Robin finished. A dawning of new understanding showed upon Starfire's face. She closed the refrigerator door slowly. Beast Boy emerged back into the kitchen area, his cheeks pink with thorough scrubbing. A low whine came from his throat.  
  
"Man, that was the sickest thing that's ever happened to me! DUDE!" He joined his fellow Titans and examined the baby. "So, what's his name?"  
  
Raven sighed.  
  
"Firstly, it's a she, Beast Boy. Didn't you hear Starfire's shrieks of delight about how there's another girl in the house? Secondly, I don't think a name-" Robin cut her off.  
  
"A name did appear in the basket. Except...it's not an actual name. It's more like a codename that we use. Other than that, her name's been withheld," Robin said, rubbing his chin.  
  
"What is it then?" Cyborg asked. Robin sighed, as if he were reluctant to speak the name.  
  
"It's...Windy."

_**Note**: Oy! Now that's an odd ending. I promise you I will try to get the next chapter up ASAP. Oh, and I would like to humbly thank the first four reviewers for their time and suggestions. THANK YOU SO MUCH! Your comments are well appreciated. Please review for this chapter!_


	3. Adoption and Prophecy

**_dIsClAiMeR: Need I say this? Teen Titans characters and places are not mine, only Windy._**

"It's what?!" Beast Boy exclaimed in disbelief. "You'd better not be making a monkey outta me!" He morphed into a baboon to prove his point to Robin.  
  
"I'm dead serious, Beast Boy. Read it for yourself." Robin reached into his pocket and tossed the crumpled paper to him. Beast Boy's eyes shifted across the paper as he read. His brows furrowed together in thought as he morphed back.  
  
"Whoa," was all a speechless Beast Boy could say.  
  
"Let me see that, B.B." Cyborg yanked the paper out of Beast Boy's hand. Beast Boy shook himself out of his trance and jumped up and down to reach for the paper. Cyborg held it high enough so that Beast Boy could barely reach it. Beast Boy grunted as he jumped. Cyborg smirked.  
  
"Knock it off, you two!" Robin scolded.  
  
"Please read it aloud, Cyborg," Starfire said.  
  
"It says:  
  
'_Titans, defeat within this basket lies  
truth is seen with only pure eyes  
her name buried within her heart  
quickly save her from the dark  
the fire within  
is her sin  
teach well, for quickly she grow  
she must reap what she will sow  
The Air  
No Clarity  
She is only _Windy_.'  
_  
Is it me, or does this guy's rhyming suck? It's worse than B.B.'s love poems!" Cyborg handed the wad of paper back to Robin. Beast Boy snorted indignantly.  
  
"It was certainly boring enough," Raven responded dryly.  
  
"This human poetry made no sense to me. Could someone please explain the meaning behind this poem?" Starfire asked, mainly to Robin.  
  
"It's just a bunch of gibberish to me," Beast Boy said.  
  
"No, wait, you guys. Some of it does make sense. This line, right here," Robin explained, pointing to a particular line on the paper, " _'teach well...she must reap what she will sow.'_ I think it means..." He paused. The others listened intently to what he would say next. "I think it means we need to raise her, and raise her correctly. The rest I'll need to decode."  
  
"So, you mean that...?" Raven started.  
  
"Yep. Teen Titans, welcome the newest member to our team, Windy," Robin finished.  
  
"How joyous is this moment!" Starfire beamed and lifted into the air. "This is a definite cause for celebration! Let us commemorate this happy occasion with the pizza!" She zoomed around in the air, twisting and turning.  
  
"Uh, Star, the pizza shop isn't even open yet. It's a quarter-after- four in the _early _morning," Beast Boy differed. "And for everybody's information, I'm _so_ not changing her diaper, let alone hold her again. Baby messes aren't my thing." He shot a glare at Raven, who, in return, discharged a full round of deadly glares. Beast Boy quickly looked away and inched behind the tall Cyborg, whimpering.  
  
"Let's have none of that now, y'all," Cyborg interjected. "But my question is, what should we name the kid? Should we keep Windy, or change it?"  
  
"I vote to change it. Windy isn't a good name for her," Beast Boy argued.  
  
"What is a good name, then?" Cyborg asked.  
  
"Hmm, well, I was thinking maybe Papaya, or Avocado, or Star Fruity Tutti."  
  
"Hate it," Cyborg said bluntly.  
  
Among the Titans, it boiled down to two votes for changing the name, and two for keeping it. Robin, Cyborg, Beast Boy, and Starfire looked to Raven for her answer, who was leaning against the wall, arms crossed.  
  
"So, Raven, what's your idea? Do you want to keep her name, or change it?" Robin queried. Raven pushed herself from the wall and let her arms drop to her side.  
  
"I don't care, just so as long as we find her a new home." With that curt phrase, she walked away from the team and left the room. Robin sighed, his shoulders heaved. They stared at Raven as she stormed off.  
  
"Let's not worry about it now, team. Let's just get back to bed," Robin whispered.  
  
"What about the baby?" Starfire asked as Beast Boy and Cyborg headed toward their rooms.  
  
"I'll stay with her for the rest of the night. You can go on ahead to bed." Starfire reluctantly returned to her room, glancing over her shoulder at Robin. He held the child in his arms and stared out the window. He took note of several large thunderheads gathering around the city, like moths to the flame. Multi-colored lightning flashed from within the clouds, causing them to appear like cotton candy. A few seconds later echoed a small boom of thunder. Robin looked down at the infant in his arms. Oddly enough, she was sound asleep, lulled by rolling thunder. Robin smiled and placed her on the love-seat sofa in front of the television, then covered her with his detached cape. He sat next to her and instantly fell asleep.

* * *

"-bin. Robin," Starfire's soft voice echoed throughout Robin's dreams. He stirred. A hand clapped his shoulder and gently shook him. He opened one eye, blinked, and then opened the other. Starfire's figure was blurry for a few moments, but then cleared; he saw great concern etched in her face. A loud _crack!_ of thunder caused Robin to sit up.  
  
"What's the matter, Star?" he asked, rubbing his eyes with the heel of his palm, and his heart beating quickly. Robin glanced at a clock, which read two thirty-seven in the afternoon.  
  
"The sirens have sounded again, and the city is endangered. Cyborg, Beast Boy, and Raven have already gone ahead of us. They told me to awaken you from your slumber."  
  
"Who's our culprit this time?" Robin carefully stood up, so he would not disturb the sleeping infant. He covered a yawn.  
  
"The brothers Thunder and Lightning." 

_**Note: **All right, all right. Hardly any action in this abnormally-short chapter, just foreshadowing. Yes, that little rhyme did suck, but that was on purpose; plus, don't writers have some bad days? But next chapter I promise you more action and fighting against the Thunder and Lightning brothers! And yes, they do play a special part with Windy.... _

_And thank you to all reviewers! _


	4. The Squall

**_disCLAIMer: You know the drill. I have no part in owning the Teen Titans. Windy is my own._**

**_Note: I must apologize for the tardiness of this chapter and upcoming chapters. I have been having some.... hard times being busy with summer assignments. Please note that I bumped up the rating to PG-13. It gets just a bit more violent in this chapter. Thank you for understanding._**

"Let's go!" Robin ran to the garage, but stopped suddenly. "The baby!" He turned to look back to see Starfire holding the still sleeping infant in some blankets, and handed Robin his cape.  
  
"Do not worry, Robin, I have the child."  
  
"But, the battle..."  
  
"I shall protect her from any harm." Robin was at first hesitant, but realized that Starfire looked very determined to keep the newborn safe with her.  
  
"Thanks, Starfire."  
  
Robin hurried to the T-Cycle and grabbed his stylish red helmet. He swung his leg over the seat, revved up his motorcycle, and speeded toward the downtown area. Starfire flew above him, Windy in her arms, easily keeping up with his speed. Through his visor, Robin could easily see the destruction Thunder and Lightning have caused. Cars were overturned and blackened to a crisp, light posts had melted, and billboards were aflame. The road was cracked and heavily damaged. Starfire saw the destruction as well and held the child closer to her.  
  
Off in the distance, Thunder and Lightning's yells were heard, along with Cyborg's shouts of command and Beast Boy's jokes. A black flare appeared, and Robin assumed that the flare was emitted from Raven. Hunching over, he twisted the handle toward him, popped a wheelie and gained speed.  
  
"I already told you, brother," Thunder said, floating on a cloud, "why must I explain myself again?"  
  
"Your reasoning has no sense to it, Thunder. You should pay more attention to what you do!" Lightning argued, hurling a lightning bolt toward his very own brother. The bolt missed and struck a building.  
  
"It was an accident! My tripping over you was a mere mishap, nothing more. I had no hostile feelings for you. But now..." Thunder created a blue orb with a white center and threw it at Lightning. It collided squarely in his chest. Lightning fell from his cloud and onto the telephone wires. "But now I do."  
  
The electric current in the wires exploded, and Lightning was the recipient of the shock. Though thousands of volts went through his body, he smiled and laughed. He hopped back onto his cloud and clenched his fist. Static formed around his fist, which grew by the second. The electricity now coursed through his veins, and he felt more powerful than ever, so he turned to his brother. He had a maddening look in his eyes, which grew even more menacing with the sparks jumping around his hair. He punched in Thunder's direction, releasing a ball of lightning. Just before it hit Thunder, a black wall of energy in front of him, blocking the attack, and Thunder gave a sigh of relief.  
  
"Hey, I know how ya feel about sibling rivalry, but this has just gone too far!" Beast Boy shouted at Lightning. "So, knock it off, the both of you!"  
  
"Or I'll knock you off," Cyborg added, pointing his sonic cannon at Lightning. Lightning bared his teeth and pointed at Cyborg. A thin bolt shot from his fingertip and wrapped around Cyborg. Electricity raced through Cyborg's armor, and he howled in pain. He fell over, unconscious.  
  
"Cyborg!" Beast Boy yelled as he ran to his fallen comrade.  
  
"Beast Boy, get down!" Raven commanded as she pushed him aside. A ladder of lightning struck down on Raven, who had a black shield of energy surrounding her, but the two energies clashed and exploded, knocking back Raven, Beast Boy and Lightning. Raven could not move with the pain in her legs and back, and Beast Boy tried to stand. Thunder looked around frantically.  
  
"Brother Lightning! Green One!" He ran to Beast Boy, placed Beast Boy's arm over his shoulder, and slowly walked to Lightning. "Cease this madness, brother. We are quarreling over trivial matters. Do not let that power get to your head." He offered a hand to his brother. Lightning reached out for his hand and slapped it away. He stood up.  
  
"You are weak like these fools." He stretched out his hand to Thunder's face, as static gathered around his fingertips and palm. Suddenly, a starbolt knocked his hand away before he could fire at his brother. Starfire held the child in one arm while the other hand glowed a threatening green.  
  
"Someone needs a time-out!" Robin taunted. "And stay away from my team!" He jumped high and kicked squarely on Lightning's chest. Lightning flew back and landed in a pile of rubble, groaning. Robin smiled with great satisfaction and ran to the rest of his teammates. He told Thunder to carry Beast Boy for a little longer while he would carry Raven back to the Tower. He performed a run-over with Cyborg and rebooted his system. Cyborg's mechanical eye flashed red several times until his organic eye opened. He groaned and shook his head.  
  
"That was... a shock," Cyborg said with a little smile, showing Robin that he would be all right. Robin smiled back and pulled Cyborg to his feet.  
  
"Robin!" Starfire yelled. Robin turned around to see a large boulder coming straight for him. The boulder nearly hit him, yet still grazed his arm. A starbolt destroyed another before it could hit Robin. Lightning rose from the rubble, grabbing the debris and hurling them at the Titans.  
  
"He's mad with power!" Robin exclaimed. Thunder set Beast Boy down on the curb and confronted his brother. Turning toward him, Thunder said coolly, "This must end, brother. We have no need to fight. The Green One and his friends are hurt. Please, stop this, my brother." Thunder raised his hands as a sign of peace. Lightning glared, turned to Starfire, and grinned. He retracted his fist to his hip, and, to fast for eyes to see, punched in her direction. A large lightning bolt headed for Starfire and the baby. She tightened her grip on the infant and turned her back to the bolt as she braced for impact. Few seconds later, when she realized that she was not hit, she swiveled around to see what happened. The bolt hovered in midair, stopped by some unseen force. The Titans, even Thunder and Lightning, were amazed.  
  
"Star, you okay?" Robin queried, running to her as she lightly landed. Starfire nodded, dumbfounded by the whole situation. The infant in her arms was still, and both Starfire and Robin were worried.  
  
"She's not moving," Robin whispered. "Raven!" Raven stiffly walked over to Robin, her legs still sore.  
  
"What's wrong?" she asked. Beast Boy, with Cyborg helping him to walk, ambled over to Starfire and Robin.  
  
"The child. She is not moving... Please, help her." Starfire said quietly with a forlorn look. Raven placed her glowing hands a few inches away from the infant's lifeless body. Suddenly, the bolt exploded and everything flashed white. The Titans quickly covered their eyes. Thunder and Lightning, who were accustomed to brilliant lights, stared in awe as a figure walked out of the light. When the light faded into the darkness of the sky, the Titans opened their eyes and saw the figure more clearly. She appeared to be in her late teens, with a svelte figure, and long flowing brown hair, yet the two pieces of her hair that were hanging on the sides of her cheeks were the purest blue one could ever imagine. Her feet were bare, and the robe that she wore was decorated with foreign symbols unknown to man. She strolled toward the bystanders with much confidence and regality as the small bursts of winds played with her hair and clothing. Speaking directly to Starfire, she spoke with a soft, gentle voice, "Do not worry. This shall pass from her."  
  
Robin had so many questions to ask of this strange woman, yet an unseen succubus sucked all his breath out of him. His mouth opened to speak, but he quickly closed it. He looked to Raven. Her face was blank and calm, yet her eyes expressed something different. Fear? No.  
  
Even Raven looks awed, he thought.  
  
"Who are you?" Starfire asked, her body shaking. The woman smiled and patted Robin's shoulder.  
  
"I am the Lady of the Storm. I am... the Windy."

**_Note: ooooOOOOhhhh! So, what did you think of that? Please review, and place as many honest critiques as needed. Thank you! The next chapter might come a little later than planned._**


	5. Air of Clarity

_disCLAIMer:_ Heh. Yeah. So far, all characters but The Windy are DCs. Thank you, come again.

_**Note:**_  
...  
_I guess this came a lot later than expected. I'm very sorry to all of you. Life... hasn't been the best this year, and I lost my sense of creativity for awhile too. I'm sorry you all had to wait, and I'm sorry... I don't know why, I just feel the need to apologize.  
Please continue, albeit so short. And no, I had this idea before "Avatar: The Last Airbender" aired, so this is completely original. >  
_

"If you are Windy, then who is this child?" Starfire queried. She glanced down at the child in her arms.

"Have you ever heard of a 'soul-self'?" the woman asked back. Starfire shook her head, obviously confused.

"I have," Raven said hesitantly, nodding reluctantly. "So, I guess you are her soul-self? Why did you appear to us, then?" The older Windy lost her gleam, and her speech reduced from "high-almighty" to informal.

"Gee, let me think about this. There was a lot of fighting going on. And obviously, she," she nodded to the infant, "was in danger. Once again, my brothers were being idiotic as usual."

"Brothers?" Robin asked. "Thunder and Lightning are you _brothers!_" Thunder had the most sheepish look on his face, and Lightning looked away with embarrassment, as red appeared in his cheeks.

"Yes, she is… our sister. But, we thought," started Lightning.

"She died." Thunder's last word lingered in the air. There was an uncomfortable pause among the group. Beast Boy fidgeted, pulling threads from his torn garment. Cyborg's brows furrowed together. Windy's face softened, and she smiled.

"I did," she responded quietly. "That's why I, er, she, came to you, Titans. That is why you _must_ protect her with everything you have. Even elementals can die... permanently." Again, a silence washed over the Titans and the Air Elementals. Starfire looked down to the infant in her arms and opened her mouth, wishing to speak. "Do not worry. She is still living, Starfire, and will be fine. I should probably return…" She faced her younger self and started to glow.

"Wait!" Robin demanded. The Lady of the Storm set her gray, tempestuous eyes on Robin. "How… exactly did you… die?" He held out his hand in a questioning manner.

"Fire," she uttered. "A man of fire and darkness consumed my whole being." Seeing the confusion on their faces, she sighed. "I must explain. You see, each element has another element to either strengthen it or weaken it. Fire, obviously, weakened me, the Air element. Which is quite odd, for we Elementals have restriction, borders, in which we must comply. We were all to remain equal in power, status, and, most importantly, respect our opposite element. For some reason, Fire broke all regulations, and took advantage of my weakness against him.

"Titans, and siblings, keep safe the child that rests in this woman's arms. She shall grow faster than any human child will, and you must teach her what is right and wrong, as I have said in the wonderfully done poem ("You mean… That was _her_ that wrote that! Oops!" Cyborg said to Robin, embarrassed). Allow her to express herself. Do not stifle her creative spirit. So long, and take care. You shall see me again." With that, the spirit flashed brightly and disappeared. The infant in Starfire's arms stirred and yawned.

"_Defeat within this basket lies…_" Robin whispered.

"Everything's starting to be clear, I guess," Cyborg said.

"Yah. Clear as mud, you mean. She's still puzzling!" Beast Boy retorted, waving a hand.

"Yes, but the Lady told us we must protect her." Starfire floated a few feet off the ground. Raven shrugged.

"I don't trust her at all. She does not feel that welcoming."

"Come on, Raven. Don't be so mistrusting all the time!" Robin said. "She told us her story, and, well, after all the oddities that have been happening lately, it makes sense." Again, Raven shrugged.

The team left, leaving the ruin to be cleaned by the city sweepers as they normally do. Thunder and Lightning were conversing in low whispers, afraid that others might overhear their conversation.

"Sister must have had help to be reborn as such," Thunder's voice shook.

"Yes, Brother Thunder. That is apparent, but I am worried from whom she received this new chance? I do not have a good feeling about this." Lightning looked down, scuffing his foot against the pavement, causing some sparks to jump.

"All I know is that we must protect her. We failed her once, and we cannot allow that to happen again. The fire Elementals must not have control again! The world must not come to-" Thunder stopped and stared right behind Lightning.

"What is wrong, Brother?" Then he, too, turned and saw it. "**RUN**!"

But it was too late. Within a blink of an eye, a tremendous circle of fire surrounded them and engulfed them. The fire disappeared, and all that was left was ash.

**_So there ya have it. That's the fifth chapter of _A Newborn Wind. _Please, read and review. Critiques welcomed._**


	6. Smoghouse

**_Note: Thank you so much, Sand Fox, for getting on my case. I'm sorry it's been late; I haven't been able to work at the computer, since I'm such a night owl. Anywho, thanks again for lighting the fire under my butt. I hope that this is long enough to keep you entertained. _**

A childish laughter filled the Titans' home. That high-pitched happiness was soon followed by Starfire's delighted squeals and Beast Boy's grunts. A thundering of hooves striking the carpet became mingled with the girls' joy.

"Pony! Pony!" the girl cried. "Become a pony!"

Beast Boy morphed from a camel to a small horse. He lowered his head and the girl grabbed his mane from his long neck. She tried to climb up his side, but fell off. Starfire gathered the child carefully in her arms and placed her on the green horse's back.

"Now, clutch tightly, Windy. It may be a bumpy ride!" the alien advised. Windy gulped and clung onto Beast Boy for her very life. Letting out a whinny, he dashed down the grand hallway and made a sharp turn, to which Windy yelped. He scrambled down the stairs and followed a few more twists and turns, leading him to the kitchen. He stopped, panting, and dragged his hooves to the couch. He morphed back to his humanoid self ("Owie!" Windy cried, for she was dropped from his back), and tumbled into the cushions.

"Keep going! Keep going!" Windy goaded him. "I want a chicken!" Beast Boy groaned into the pillow and rolled over.

"You've been riding me hard for the past hour, runt." He stared at this girl. The short, fuzzy hair of this former infant had grown out to her mid-back and into a dark blue color. It hid part of her rounded face, but her gray eyes shone gleefully. She was no taller than Beast Boy's chest but appeared to be eleven. Her weight shifted to one foot impatiently as her other sandaled foot scuffed the carpeting. "Has it only been two months?" the changeling asked himself.

"Huh? You're weird," Windy said and walked over to the stove. A teapot was settled onto one of the heaters and was slowly boiling. The girl took a closer look at the heater and saw a light-blue flame. Curious, she turned a knob on the stove for the lower-right hand corner of the stove. After a few clicks, a flame appeared and danced through the spiral heater. She stared at it, tilting her head to one side, and stepped back a few steps. She watched it sway with her tiniest breath and nearly die with her strongest blow.

"Windy, you're awfully quiet now. What did you do? Windy? Runt?" Beast Boy bolted upright from his couch and saw the girl leaning over to the flame. She seemed to coo softly at it, intrigued by its dance. Suddenly, the fire blazed and expanded, singeing the ceiling and destroying the teapot. It crept toward the screaming girl and engulfed her. Beast Boy ran to the sink, hastily turned the knob, and, after transforming into an elephant, sprayed the area with a powerful blast.

However, it was not the Changeling's attempts that killed the flame, but the girl's doings. The fire around her expanded into a bubble around her and was sucked into the center, imploding. All that was left was a pillar of smoke. Through this veil of smog a bright blue light shone and a voice echoed, "Fire is your enemy. Avoid it at all costs, child." The light dimmed and the smoke dissipated. The girl's shoulders heaved with her rough breathing, her eyelids lowering from apparent exhaustion.

"Time for bed yet?" was all a tired Windy could say.  
"Yeah, kid. It is."

"What was all the screaming about?" asked Robin.

"There was a little stove problem," Beast Boy replied. "But everything's okay now."

"Yeah, but you forgot the ceiling," Raven pointed out, looking up. It was blackened and cracked from where the fire exploded. "This is going on your part of the bill." Beast Boy blushed and transformed into a duck. "Very funny."

"But the weird thing was," Cyborg cut in, "the fact that my sensors were picking up a high energy in the Tower! High enough for it to be considered an earthly phenomenon." Beast Boy changed back and looked down at the floor. He muttered something about funny business.

"What sort of 'funny business'?" Robin stared at Beast Boy with a piercing look and the Changeling whined, scuffing his foot against the floor and staring at a fuzz ball.  
"Alright! The stove exploded, and the fire wrapped itself around the kid, who became all weird and glowy and sucked it in and a voice said to avoid fire. There, happy?" Beast Boy looked out into the television area, where Windy was sleeping. After a long silence, he said, "I don't think she's normal."

"What was your first hint?" Raven sarcastically commented. "She appeared out of a storm, has different hair colors for a human, and now she can suck on smoke and make it vanish."

Again, a quiescence fell upon the Titans.

"And that is why we must take care of this Elemental. She may help us in future battles," Starfire whispered. Everyone shifted nervously and nearly jumped when a small voice spoke.

"What's going on?" Windy asked, rubbing her eyes and advancing toward the Titans. "You're all really quiet. Was it something I did? Beast Boy, I'm really sorry," she said quickly and grabbed his hands. "I knew I shouldn't have made you transform so many times, but I was having to much fun, and… and…" She sniffled and her eyes watered.

"What? Oh, runt, it wasn't that! It was, uh, Titan stuff that we had to talk about. You didn't do anything wrong. Really!" Beast Boy comforted her. The girl sniffed again and nodded. She looked at her family's faces and saw a grim concern. Her eyes wandered and saw the blackened ceiling.

"Whoa! What happened here?"

"Hey, don't you remember? About the big fire?" Cyborg asked.

"Uh, what fire?"

"You don't remember?" Robin eyed her with interest. "It was huge, apparently, and then suddenly disappeared." Windy looked at him blankly. "I guess not."

Windy looked at them and asked, "May I go to bed, please? I'm really tired." With nods from Robin and Starfire, she made her way up the stairs and down the hall to her bedroom.

A loud sigh caused the Titans to look at Raven curiously. With her lips tightly shut, it was apparent that she was reluctant to speak. However, with the nagging from her fellow teammates, she finally said, "That girl… She has a great power."

"Uh, yeah. I think we all knew that," Cyborg cut in. Raven looked at him with a "let me finish" glance.  
"A great power and a great evil looming within her."

**_Note: I love cliffhangers! Hope that was suspensful enough to keep you all reading this. Next one will come up soon after I finished brainstorming for the next chaper. >  
Thanks again for reading this. Please keep reviewing!_**


	7. Confrontation

**_Note: Happy 17th Birthday to me! And as a gift to myself (how sad is that?) and by request of various reviewees, I've made this UBER long and UBER cool! Well... It's cool to me. I really like this chapter, and I hope you do to. Enjoy! _**

"What is it you want?" a voice said coolly, almost enchantingly. This man's presence commanded respect and authority flowed through him like rapids. He stood with his arms folded across his chest, knowing that his visitor would not be able to inflict any harm on him. He nearly blended into the night because of his black, armor-like suit with metal guards around his wrists and an orange-brown hue on half his face. The only thing that that gleamed in this darkness was his left eye. Behind him were the darker opening of a cave with Spanish moss scattered around the mouth and the pine trees of nature malign. They bent and swayed to the gust of wind.

"You should know, as we have discussed before, Slade. I want _her_," the other man coughed as if suffocating in smoke. "I have been searching for her for six months, now, after she… died. All I know is that the parasite of the Air kidnapped a child and now inhabits the body of the infant. I want to finish her off, for good this time." This man might have been comical in appearance at first, but his temper would incinerate anyone in a nanosecond. He, too, was difficult to spot in the darkness, but his one physical quality was what made him glow. He looked as if he was covered in ash, as if his own flesh was blackened by fire. When he moved his arms in gesture, loud cracking noises (again, of his crisped flesh) ensued. Discussing the malicious plot with Slade, he grinned. The pure whiteness of his teeth and flashing whites of his eyes contrasted against his black skin.

However, that was not the horrific glow Slade saw. This creature's veins could be seen through the skin; blood-red tentacles crept down his arms and legs and around his torso. What flowed through those veins was not blood, but a liquid fire burning with rage and lust for power.

Slade was silent and weighed his options carefully. The monster's eyes, filled with determination, stared a hole into the human's own visible eye. He realized that the creature's shadowy figure was not his true body, but that which could be taken metaphorically: All souls have a stain. And if that was the case…

"Fine. Together we'll get the girl. But you will owe me a huge debt."

The monster laughed harshly. "If that is the case, then name your price."

Slade smirked under his mask. "I want to raise the girl for a bit and give her back to the Titans, as a temporary gift."

"Heh. So you can get what you want out of her, too? I like your thinking, but she will be mine afterward. It's a deal, then."

Slade nodded. "Yes, a deal."

* * *

"Where the heck did she go again?" Cyborg shouted above the rioting mass of citizens. "I swear! I can't take my eye off her for one second!" He pushed through the crowd and readied his sonic cannon. He aimed it at a giant moth, which was scattering a dust over the city. Feeling a little faint, Cyborg watched as the citizens dropped where they stood. 

"Watch it, team!" Robin yelled. "I think that dust contains some sort of sleep-inducing toxin!"

"Gee, you think?" Raven commented. "I just thought that the people wanted to fall asleep in the most dangerous place, for the sake of turning our hair white."

Everyone stared at the Goth, surprised by that extremely sneering comment. Beast Boy approached her slowly, as if nearing a cornered snake. He had a different look in his eye, a serious and concerned look. For all the time that she has been with the Titans, the Changeling has never before seen his companion so nervous. Beast Boy did overhear that Windy was missing, again, in the heat of battle.

_Heat of the battle_, he thought. _Fire._

"Raven," he started. She looked at him, showing shame in her countenance.

"Let's just get this over with." Raven floated and moved to behind her green friend, shouting out her sacred words. The black dome of her magic covered the team from the moth's dust.

"And relating to the battle of moths, I have not seen Killer Moth," Starfire announced. "Would he not be riding upon the back of this large thing?" Raven allowed a small opening in the dome for the Tamaranean's starbolts, Cyborg's sonic blast, and Robin's freeze disks to pass through to strike the insect.

"I don't think Killer Moth is the one behind this," Raven said. The whole team forgot their situation and paused to stare at the telekinetic. Suddenly, the dome shattered under the moth's hefty weight and Beast Boy screamed. Transforming into a pterodactyl, he soared up into the sky and then plummeted down toward the opponent, his talons outstretched. He screeched when he did not strike the overgrown creature fully, since he merely grazed one of the wings. Beast Boy cursed himself as he watched the moth, only 100 feet above the Titans' heads, fall directly upon them.

_There's no way they all could support all that weight! Raven!_

The felled creature started to slow down on its descent. However, it was not Raven's magic that supported the giant insect. The small breeze that occurred during the fight picked up into a roaring wind, circling around the moth until it became a small tornado.

_Shouldn't it come down from the sky, not _to_ it? _Robin thought.

Bouncing the creature up and down on the natural "merry-go-round," the tornado glided away from the Titans and to an abandoned, dilapidated warehouse. It slammed the moth into the building, in which both the building and the foe crumbled from the sheer force of the wind. Pausing only to survey the damage it caused, the tornado's bottom tip lifted from the ground and disappeared into the sky. The Titans waited to see if more danger would come, but the battle had ended.

"Uh… Where did _that whirly tordado-y thingy_ come from?" Beast Boy squeaked.

After exchanging glances with Raven, Robin answered, "Let's ask Windy."

* * *

The child known as Windy leapt across several more years and appeared to be 16. Her hair reached to her lower back and mostly became a dark brown color. Yet, when the light hits it at a particular angle, a blue shine breaks the monotony of her figure. She sat atop a roof on a slightly new apartment complex, which was nearby the struggle, with a silver flute in her hands. It sparkled with an uplifting magic, yet the girl took no notice of it. Instead, she held the instrument up to her lips and blew a soft, low note. The dead air of the city began to swirl and tug at her white tank-top and baggy jeans. She giggled and wiggled her toes in between the open spaces of her sandals. After taking a huge breath, she played a longer and higher-pitched note. This resulted in creating a small dust devil, carrying dead leaves and paper, expanding and contracting in a dance. 

Windy was about to play another note when she heard a pterodactyl's furious screeches. Looking down from the rooftop, she saw a titanic moth, only yards away from her adopted family, about to drop. Her throat constricted so she could not scream. Raging tears ran down her cheeks as she helplessly watched the scene. She wished that the insect would be stuck in a spiral, like the leaves in the dust devil.

And that happened. Her playful creation jumped; no, it floated down to the street and began to increase in size, heading toward her blind focus. She remembered that the wind did capture the moth, but after that, it was just silver dancing in her eyes. Her knees began to wobble and gave. She caught herself by her hands and hung her head.

"I think I'm gonna throw up," she said to no one in particular and laid prostrate on the cold cement rooftop.

Her mind drifted off to space, literally. She saw a cloud-like haven just within her reach, a warm sensation traveling through her body. It almost felt like…

"Home."

* * *

Starfire nervously floated back and forth outside Windy's bedroom as Robin leaned back against the wall with his foot tapping impatiently. Cyborg and Beast Boy patrolled the area where the skirmish took place, while Raven was locked within her dark room. No one knew what she was planning. 

"Oh, I wish that our dear one would awaken soon," Starfire whined. "I am starting to be quite anxious. I do not know if I can wait any longer!"

Robin pushed himself from the wall and clapped her shoulder, looking like a worried father.

"Don't worry, Star. When Raven examined Windy, she said that she would be fine."

"Yes, but after that, Raven looked paler than her usual ashen skin color and ran to her room. That has no consolation for me!"

"I'm sure Windy'll be-" Robin was cut off by the sudden sound of a groan. Both "parents" shot into the room to find Windy stirring from her sleep. Opening one eye, then the other, she shot upright and jumped out of bed.

"Mom, Dad, you guys okay?" she unwittingly asked. Robin and Starfire blinked, startled, by the random insertion of parenthood titles.

"We were just about to ask you the same thing," Robin said. "We found you lying on a rooftop, looking as sick as a dog." The Boy Wonder grinned, recalling a memory of when Beast Boy was sick and could not control his shapeshifting with each sneeze and cough.

"I feel quite fine, but I could've sworn you guys were in trouble."

"You need not be concerned, for we have squashed that gigantic bug back in its place!" Starfire said with glee. Windy smiled.

"I wish I could have seen it," the girl complained. "I've always like watching you guys battle."

Robin and Starfire exchanged looks. They and the other Titans were discussing these anomalies, to which Raven linked them with Windy. Making a final decision with nods and sighs, the Titans agreed for Robin to break the news.

"Windy…"

"Yeah?"

"We need to talk."

"Okay. So, what's up?"

"I think we need to meet at the training center tomorrow."

**_Note: OOOH! OOOH! How was that? I hope it was all that you needed, and then some! Please Review!_**


	8. Deep Bellows

**_Note: Hello! To answer some questions... Korean Angel, yes you may use this idea, but if you use my characters from this, please give me credit. Plus, make sure you send me the link to your story. I'd love to read it. )  
Umm... I don't think Windy will get older than 20. (laughs) Sorry, I try to keep my characters young.  
Also, I've been quite curious as to how Raven teleports. In this is my version of how she does. I have no life, but plenty of imagination. P_**

Windy stepped outside the Tower and onto the island. A warm breeze blew across her face, carrying the scent of early morning sun, which was barely peeking above the horizon. The birds barely began their song to greet the morning. Some deep part of her longed to sing with them to the rising sun, but her humanity refused to grant this yearning. So she just simply held her knees to her chest, propped her head on her knees, and stared at the sky, listening to the chirps and chittering. She relaxed with each sigh leaving her body; she needed to calm her nerves.

_I wonder why they told me to meet them here? Did I do something wrong again? What if I'm no longer accepted?_ The last thought made her choke on air. _I don't want to leave! I've been good! I clean their bathrooms, dishes, and the fridge, for crying out loud!_ She shuddered and thought back to her times at the Tower. _Now that I think of it, I don't remember much of my time there. It's like I've memories long enough for… for a year!_ She barked out a laugh at that thought. _Yeah, right. Just a year I've been with the Titans and I'm sixteen. What a bunch of-_

Windy froze. She suddenly realized that it grew quieter and the winds shifted. Lifting her head to the sky, she took in short, quick breaths. Blinking twice, she sniffed the air again.

_It doesn't smell safe, anymore. The atmosphere is off, and the world just got heavier. It smells of… burning?_

Throwing her body weight to the left, she tumbled away from a string of bullet shots. Quickly getting to her feet, she ran away from her sitting place and turned to survey the area. She did not see from where the shots originated. Then, a few feet to her right, a flat box then a pole arose from the dirt. Swiveling around, it detected Windy's presence and aimed. She jumped up high and used her hands to rebound from the box. Landing behind it, back to back, she swung her leg in a wide arc and knocked off the pellet-shooter. Something cold and metallic grabbed her arm and gave her a numbing shock. Windy tried to pull away, but it tightened its grip.

"GET OFF!"

Her arm began to tingle and the claw was somehow being pried apart. It finally let go of its hold, but the whole mechanism was thrown back by the force of a gust. Panting, she asked herself, "Did I do that?" Then, a large flathead hammer struck her back, sending her flying to the other end of the island. She righted herself onto her hands and knees. With a hanging head, she groaned and stood up. After rolling her head around, she looked for this hammer. She heard a whistling sound above her and rolled from her location. The giant hammer struck down on the earth with a tremendous force that shook the ground slightly.

Meanwhile, a creaky pellet-shooter appeared from the ground, swiveling its head an aiming at the girl. She whipped her head around and covered her face with her arms just in time to protect herself from the projectiles. She landed on her backside and bashed her head onto the ground. She breathed shortly and squeezed her eyelids tightly to rid herself of the sparkling lights. As soon as Windy was coherent, she realized that the hammer was looming over her. Out of shock, her legs shot straight up into the air and pointed directly at this pounding item. This, too, sensed her movement and swung itself down onto her. She forced her legs upward to meet this item, but the hammer slowed down. To be exact, a secluded wind around her feet was forcing the hammer up and away from Windy, which then crumpled the gun.

"I… I _am_ doing this, aren't I?" she questioned herself with glee. "I'm not going mad!"

* * *

"Is it right to do this? Should we not give her some sort of warning?" a concerned Starfire said. 

"We gotta if we wanna find out what's going on with Windy," Cyborg responded.

"Yes, but what of that mechanism. It will certainly frighten. You of all people should know those incidents with-"

"He's right," Robin cut her off and ignored her concern. "The weather has been sporadic during battle ever since she matured. We have to see if my hunch is true. Ready, Beast Boy?" Robin turned his head and nodded to the green fighter.

"I was born ready. In fact, just this morning, I was ready to go jogging as soon as I woke up, but then things came up and I couldn't."

"You mean, your Saturday morning cartoons impeded in your exercise? Oh, my, what is the world to do?" Raven snapped at Beast Boy. He ducked his head and focused on the various knobs and buttons and levers before him. Pulling back a large handle, the time sequence initiated. As it counted down from ten, all eyes were focused on the wind-girl. They saw her hunched over, and it was plain to see that she was in deep thought. As soon as the timer reached zero, the Changeling pressed a green button near the handle. The pellet-shooter rose from the ground. They saw the girl's back stiffen; suddenly, she threw herself away from the barrage of rubber bullets.

As the Titans watched the rest of the battle, Raven formed a dark hole behind her on the wall. She slowly inched backwards and was absorbed by this vortex. She watched as small white specks passed by her, along with the planets and space gases. Slowly releasing her mind, she felt around for the location of her haven, her room, which was near the orange, but dark, planet. Hovering over this fixed location (Or was it above her? No mortal could tell in the Realm of Time and Space.), she dropped. She heard the usual sound of creating a rift in her mind, a muffled sound of breaking glass. She emerged from the wall and dropped gently onto her carpeted floor.

Beside her bed was a stack of books, of which some titles included _Journey to the Sky (A Guide to the Clouded Haven)_, _A Sacrifice to Survive (The Legend of the Battle Between the Flow and the Paralysis)_, and _Learn from the Wind (and what it has to do with Communication and Travel)_. She grunted and rubbed her eyes; a glance at the sheer amount of books surrounding her gave her the worst of headaches. She plopped herself down onto her bed and massaged her temples. The bitterness of panic was driving itself up from the pit of her stomach to her mouth. She shuddered.

Sitting cross-legged, she chanted, "Azarath. Metrion. Zinthos." She lifted a few feet from the bed and began her meditation. With steady breath and slow-beating heart, she let her mind wander from the anxiety of the future to the sanctity of the present.

_Nothing has happened yet. Perhaps the Prophecy won't come true. Perhaps it will have a happier ending. Perhaps it will be changed, like mine. Perhaps…_

And her soul flew into the silence of Space and Time.

* * *

"Boo yah!" Windy exclaimed, using Cyborg's catchphrase. "And another one bites the dust!" Dripping with sweat, Windy felled another mechanical beast. She felt extremely proud of herself for defending herself, instead of the Titans coming to her rescue every time she tripped. Something smacked her back hard. She fell forward, but quickly imagined landing on a bed of soft clouds; thus it came to happen. A small whirlwind appeared in front of her face, in a fixed location, and gave support to her torso. For a few seconds, the wind supported her body weight, causing the appearance of her floating. Windy then imagined that the clouds became firmer and slowly becoming vertical; thus it came to happen. The wind pushed against her body until she was finally on her feet. She turned to face her next opponent. 

It was almost seven feet tall and three feet wide. The platinum color of the metal skin was almost blinding with the sun's reflection. Windy raised her hand to her brow to shield most of the light. The face was smooth and curved, but a rectangle was located where the eyes were to be. Within this rectangle was a red ball bouncing back and forth from the ends of the visor. It kept doing this until it stopped right in the middle, the "eye" focusing on Windy. The legs and arms were surprisingly thin to hold up the heaviness of the machine, but the foe still moved quickly and with ease. It had no hands; instead bulbous stumps replaced those extremities. Small circles decorated those bulbs.

_What're those for? It looks like it could release something._

Her foe rushed at her, one arm raised only to be swung down. Shocked, Windy held her arms above her head and pictured in her mind a large spring attached to her forearms. It broke through her transparent shield and smashed her arms. Landing on her back, she cradled her arms to her chest, whimpering from the pain as new bruises formed. It lifted a leg and brought it down to her chest. She rolled away from the blow, but stiffened when she saw the crater with a two-foot diameter. Shaking off the pain, she stumbled to her feet and held her hands in guard position. The foe, too, lifted its arms and pointed them at her.

By means of squinting, she saw the circles open, like a mouth opening to reveal jagged teeth, and saw her fate. Within these crevasses oozed oil. She heard a few clicking sounds, then a flash of a pale red. Fire surrounded the machine's bulbous hands, which were thrashing about, and her foe moved forward. She became paralyzed with fear; her mind was too busy to try to make her body run. Her heart was pounding at great speed; she felt her blood course through the arteries of her neck. She watched as her phobia clumsily came toward her.

She closed her eyes tightly. Just when the machine was close enough so she could feel the heat, she heard the familiar whistling sound in the air. Peeking through a half-shut eye, she saw a green starbolt strike the blazing foe. Then came another, and another, until there was a barrage of starbolts released on the beast. It turned to face the new opponent.

"YOU WILL NOT MOVE ANOTHER INCH!" Starfire swooped down and punched a hole through the chest. It looked down, then back at Starfire. Twitching and sparking, it fell backwards and broke apart. In a rage, the Tamaranean beat the head into the ground and crushed the limbs until they were a silver dust. Panting choppily, she turned to the pale Windy and put her arms around the girl in a hug.

The wide-eyed girl finally showed emotion when tears started to well up in her eyes, then flowed down. She broke down into uncontrollable sobs, burying her face in Starfire's shoulder.

"It is okay. It will not harm you, ever again. I will make sure they will not hurt you ever again."

* * *

Windy was in her room, behind the steel-reinforced door and concrete walls ten feet thick. Her window was open and it was a nice, cool, somewhat breezy day. She covered her ears with her hands, hummed to herself, and even tried to sleep. Yet she could still hear the yelling echoing through her room. 

"_X'HAL_! NOT EVEN ON MY PLANET WOULD THE MOST FOUL _TSITHWAQS_ PLACE THEIR CHILDREN IN DANGER LIKE THAT!"

Windy heard muffled voices of Robin and Cyborg in response to Starfire.

"I WILL NOT CALM DOWN!"

Muffled voice of Robin.

"_KHLORBAGS!_"

Muffled voice of Cyborg.

"YOU _REKNARHS_! ARE YOU ATTEMPTING TO CREATE A DIVISION? FOR AS SURE AS I AM A TAMARANEAN, AND YOU ARE EARTHLINGS, IT IS WORKING QUITE WELL!"

"Raven was right. The girl does have power, and we need to control it!" Robin's voice rose in volume, but Windy had to strain to hear it. She was starting to get annoyed by her parents' arguments and starting to wonder what exactly Raven said.

Beast Boy said something that quieted both the alien and the humans. It remained silent for another ten minutes. Windy was unsure if they stopped talking or if they continued their conversation with low voices, but the girl knew that she needed some fresh air. She opened the window and took several deep breaths. Several stories above ground, she figured it would be nearly impossible to stay whole after the jump. She ran back to her bed and crouched down, searching for her flute. It was always easier to make the winds dance if she played music. With shaking fingers and closed eyes, she began to play the song buried deep in her mournful heart, the "BirdSong." She could hear the keys clicking as she moved her fingers to play this impromptu song. Windy felt something being pulled from her, like a thread from a cloth. She opened her eyes and saw a silver thread from her abdomen snaking its way across the room to the window. It plunged down and started to fray. The smaller threads spread out into sky and soon afterwards, the wind picked up and entered her room. It came behind her and started nudging her to the window.

Placing the flute in her back pocket and grabbing a large white bandana and a small blue cape, she ran to the window and leaped out of it. She wanted to shut her eyes so she would not be scared witless, but somehow looked down as the ground rushed up toward her. Before she could land and break her legs, the wind that guided her out the window placed itself under her feet, like a humble servant to his king. She landed on this soft bedding of nothingness and muttered a "thank you" to the sky.

For the sake of her sanity, she walked to the area where there was the most vegetation and abruptly sat down next to the white roses. They gave off a tranquil scent, helping Windy to clear her mind.

And she began to think of her origin.

**_Note: YAY! Eighth chapter completed. Many more to come! Well, maybe not MANY many more, but several more. More and more ideas are coming to me. )  
Please Review! Any comments and questions are welcome! I want this to be the best fic I've ever written!_**


	9. Polluted

**_Note: Jeez'm'petes! So sorry about this guys. Senior year is cruddy. Well, thanks to all who emailed me to get my story back in swing. This is all that I have for now, but fear not! I have more ideas swimming around in my odd little head!_**

"Xalis." Windy lifted her head. "Xalis. Why does that name keep burning in my head? Argh!" She clutched her head. The sensation of her vomiting engulfed her being. "Breathe, breathe, breathe. Don't lose it now. Don't let a name get to you. It's all in your head. Xalis doesn't exist, it's just a lapse of insanity."

_Then why does it hurt so much?_ A woman's voice echoed in the back of her mind. It was sweet and cooling to hear, and yet it gave off a comforting warmth. _Names do not hurt; it is the meaning of the name that causes fear._

"What's that supposed to mean?" Windy blinked many times, shocked that she's answering herself aloud, nevertheless listening to the voice. "Raven's kind of scary, but she doesn't scare me… too much."

_It is not the name! The One who carries the name sickens you._

"You're insane!" Still, she doubled over in pain when the name flashed in her mind, branding her, marking her to feel his touch. The winds howled and trees groaned against its force. The branches broke open the windows in the city and scattering garbage across the streets. Then, she felt her distress being nudged back by some unseen hand, like that of a gentle push to reassure a child that all is well. The wind died down and everything came to a halt.

_If it bothers you so much, child, then ask Raven for yourself_, the voice said gently.

Windy nodded and traveled to the Empath's dormitory.

* * *

_"Long ago, before Man trampled upon the Earth's beauty, fantastic creatures only heard in legend dwelled in the Skies and Ground. These creatures, known to Man as the mythical Elementals, commanded the powers and blessings of each sign: Fire (whose rulers are the Salamanders), Water (Undines), Earth (Ogres), and Air (Sylphs). The Sylphs and Salamanders shared the Skies while the Ogres and Undines inhabited the Ground. At peace these creature tended to the gardens and oceans, to the forges and windmills. At peace they promoted prosperity among their tribe. At peace, and even after Man's birth, these creatures helped the mortals advance._

_"However, something went horribly wrong._

_"The Salamanders, whose population was quickly expanding, dared to cross over into the Air quadrant. At first the people of the Air did not mind; in fact, they rejoiced in the birth of fellow Sky inhabitants. They taught the young Fire children the importance of _utithla_, which means "flow" or "ease of movement" in the Ancient Language. The children nearly surpassed the Air Tribe, and the parents used this to their advantage._

_"One early morn, while the sun was half-seen over the horizon, blazing specters assaulted the Sylphs. Huts were burned down, children were slaughtered, and the men were made slaves: all in the name of expansionism. The Air Tribe fought back with Hail, Thunder, Lightning, and Wind but to of no avail. The mighty Air warriors were beaten back and cornered. Hail tried to flee, but with one touch of the fiends he disintegrated._

_"It is said that his soul fell into the bottom of the oceans and was warmly welcomed by the Water Tribe. There he was transformed from a fickle, cold raindrop to a bold, powerful warrior who pelts his opponents with ice._

_"The remainingtriplets of the Air gathered together and debated: Another among the siblings must sacrifice all the power they had to liberate the Tribe. Selfish Lightning dared not to volunteer; he had more fun startling the primitive mortals with the awesome streaks of electricity. Meek Thunder could not bring himself to separate from his family. At last, mournful Wind agreed to be the scapegoat and sacrifice, for the sake of her Tribe and the mortals. Gathering the power of the winds, the shy beauty stepped forward into the brazen Salamanders' lair. By creating a _vulcaan_, a vacuum, the fiery beasts were sucked into the nothingness and were soon smothered by the open space. Smoldering, the Leader of the Salamanders_ _swore to continue the war, no matter how long he was forced to wait._

_"It is said that she screamed her name for her brothers to hear as she succumbed to the vacuum's pull. Her name is to be used in dire situations, and when called history will repeat itself._

_"Scholar beware, for it holds more power than the air that gives life to mortals, that scatters the seeds to sow life, that carries the sweet scent of a new day. Her name is…"_

Raven squinted at the print to try to read the foreign name. She heard a knock at her door and slammed her book shut. Placing the ancient text underneath her pillow, she stood and opened the door to find a worried-etched face of Windy staring back at her. She was breathing heavily and had fresh scratches down her arms from the rosebush.

"What is it?" Raven asked calmly. The wind child straightened and inhaled deeply.

"Who is Xalis?"

* * *

The two quietly traveled back to the rosebushes. It was a peaceful city night: the cars were silent on the road; the building lights were bright against the black canvass of the sky. The girls stared out across the sea for awhile as the stiff silence between them made Windy fidget. She drew a triangle in the dirt by her right hand and then circumscribed the triangle with a circle. Windy was ready to stand and leave when Raven spoke suddenly and softly. 

"You need to change your destiny."

"What?" asked a shocked Windy.

"The prophecies have been fulfilled so far. And the next will come soon. Windy, promise me to fight Her. You must." Raven sounded so earnest in what she said that it frightened the Honorary Titan.

"What do you mean?" Windy scuttled backward and bumped against a rock. The Empath gave a most pitiful look and sighed. She shook her head and walked back to the Tower. The wind child chased after her, but something took a firm hold of her ankle. She stumbled and fell forward, only to hear a crack and feel a sharp pain travel across the bridge of her nose. Touching it gingerly, she could tell that it was out of place; wetness trickled from both nostrils. The tendril that was wrapped around her leg tightened and burned; she let out a yelp and looked back.

Windy did not trip over an unearthed root. A fiery tentacle was slithering up over her legs and back. The source of it came from the darkness; soon afterward, it pulled her into that unknown space. She cried out for help, and Raven, upon hearing the shout, flew to her aid. The Empath could see scratch marks along the ground from where the child tried to maintain a grip on anything.

Another scream. The sound of struggle. Desperate cries. Those were what filled the Empath's mind as she doubled-over in pain. She had to help Windy, but the pain emanating from the girl was extreme. In her mind, she focused that pain into a tiny ball of light and sent it into the Tower. There it divided into two separate orbs: one red, one orange. Each held a memory of what was happening at that moment. They scattered to Robin and Starfire and flooded their dreams with disturbing images. Raven even cried for the assistance of her companions.

The two that shared the Empath's mind awoke suddenly, their minds filled with memories not of their own. Like being controlled by some unseen hand, they marched out from the Tower to the point of assault. Robin and Starfire looked startled to find each other there. Quickly they exchanged few comparative words. Again, they mechanically shifted their gaze across the garden and ran to it. There, a figure wearing a blue robe was slumped on the ground, her back heaving with deep gasps. Her hands were clenched tightly on the ground, grabbing at the loose dirt in frustration. Neither Robin nor Starfire moved another inch.

"He has her. The Balance is gone. It's all over."

* * *

Windy rolled over and moaned deeply. All of her joints were stiff with pain as she moved slowly. Using her arms as a levy, she pushed herself up. She could not see much, for it was dark. Only a single flame flickered in the unnerving darkness. Windy blinked and focused on that small flame. It seemed to grow larger and larger by the moment. It was not until he was only a few feet away from her that she realized the danger. He grabbed her harshly by the neck of her shirt and pulled her up. She could see the red rivers flowing in his cracked, black skin. He smelled of death and burned flesh. 

"Princess," he started, "what a pleasure to meet you after a millennia of separation. I missed you, dear."

"X-Xalis…" she whispered. "You're him, aren't you?"

"I'm surprised you didn't forget me, love! I _did_ brand you with my name, right here…" With his index finger, he tapped her forehead. "That's how I found you, my Princess." She jerked her head away.

"Stop with the pleasantries. What do you want, Xalis?"

"My dear, can't you spare just a single, nice tone of voice?" He tightened his grip on her and brought her closer to his death-carved face. "You're mine forever, you know."

"No, I don't know! I don't know anything at all!"

"My sweet, you don't need to remember your past at all. All I want from you is, whom I like to call, _The Dark Windy_. That's all." Xalis smirked.

"D-dark? You won't get her! I don't know where she is! You-you'll have to find her alone!"

"Dear, don't you know? _You_ are _The Dark Windy_ I've been searching for." He thrust his crusty arm into her chest. Her eyes bulged as she gasped for breath. Xalis smoothly moved his arm around the deepest part of her soul. After a few minutes of torture, he stopped and yanked out his arm.

Windy stopped moving as well. She could feel the center of her body pulling inward, like a black hole. Her vision grew dimmer; her ears became stopped; her mouth sealed shut. She could barely see anything, as if watching from a great distance. Her body was numb, but she could feel it move slightly. Horrendous cackling echoed in her mind; suddenly, a voice shrieked and Windy felt a dark breeze go by her. She could do nothing but watch.

"Oh, my Poisoned Beauty, are you finally awake?"

"Wide-awake, my flattering Stack of Ash. Is it that time already? My, didn't that time fly by quickly?" Her lips curled into a sneer. "It's time for those Man-Beasts to be put back in there place, wouldn't you say?"

_**So? So? What do you think? Please review! And I know what you're asking: How do you pronounce "Xalis"? Well, find out next chapter!**_


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